Vote On A’s New Coliseum Lease Canceled

FRIDAY: Approval of the lease did not go through as expected today, reports Carolyn Jones of the San Francisco Chronicle, because four representatives of the city of Oakland boycotted the meeting. Without their presence, a quorum could not be reached, and therefore the vote could not pass.

Jones spoke to sources close to the negotiations and was told that the Oakland City Council met behind closed doors on Wednesday and barred two members — both of whom are also members of the Coliseum Authority — from attending Friday’s meeting. Other members of the Coliseum Authority were “livid,” according to Jones, including Authority chair and Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley: “I’m shocked and upset and very disturbed. We feel like we’re being hampered from doing our business because the city has taken this position. At this stage, it’s just shocking.”

Jones also notes that Oakland mayor Jean Quan stated on Wednesday, following the initial news that an agreement had been reached, that no such deal was actually in place, as the city had yet to have a chance to review the team’s latest proposal.

Miley added that if the city has a problem with the proposal, it should address that problem when the new lease comes before the city council — not when it comes before the Coliseum Joint Powers Authority (JPA). As was reported on Wednesday, the lease required approval from the JPA, the city of Oakland, and the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.

The new lease would run through 2025 and still needs to be approved by the Coliseum Joint Powers Authority, which will vote on the extension this Friday, the AP reports. The lease is also subject to the approval of the city of Oakland and the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.

The Athletics are still hopeful of securing a new stadium, but owner Lew Wolff told the AP via email that both MLB and the A’s rejected a proposed site near Jack London Square. Commissioner Bud Selig denied to the AP that the committee formed to deal with the Athletics’ stadium issues suggested that site as the best location for a new facility. He added that he “continue[s] to believe that the Athletics need a new facility” and that he is supportive of the team’s belief that the best site for them in the city of Oakland is the Coliseum site.

The A’s are the only team that still shares a facility with an NFL team, though the Raiders are in the final year of their lease and are hoping for a new facility of their own following the upcoming NFL season, per the AP report. The Athletics’ new lease is expected to contain out clauses, presumably included in the event that a new location can be agreed upon.

Previously, the A’s had rejected a 10-year lease extension from the Coliseum Authority, stating that the proposal did not address all of their needs. The stadium issue has been an ongoing one for the A’s for years, with a move to San Jose suggested on multiple occasions. The city of San Jose even filed a lawsuit against Major League Baseball just over a year ago, claiming that the city was being illegally blocked from importing the A’s.